GSA Honors Employees Who Go Above and Beyond for Small Firms
GSA # 10509
June 11, 2008
Contact: Diane Merriett (202) 501-1231
diane.merriett@gsa.gov
WASHINGTON – The U. S. General Services Administration (GSA) today recognized numerous acquisition employees who have gone above and beyond their traditional duties to broaden federal contracting opportunities for small business owners.
“I’m very proud of these individuals,” said Acting Administrator David Bibb. “They help small entrepreneurs as well as agencies in need of their products and services, they inspire their co-workers, they strengthen our small business office and its outreach programs, and they help solidify our place as the government’s premier procurement agency.”
Joining Bibb in the “Above and Beyond” awards ceremony at GSA were Jovita Carranza, Acting Administrator of the US Small Business Administration (SBA) and Ron Langston, Director of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) at the Department of Commerce. All three agencies share the mission of advancing opportunities for the nation’s small businesses to participate in federal contracting.
GSA’s chief small business advocate is the Office of Small Business Utilization, headed by Associate Administrator Felipe Mendoza. According to Mendoza, GSA awarded over 34% of its procurement contracting dollars to small businesses in FY 2007.
"I applaud the winners of GSA's Above and Beyond award for their determination to go the extra distance in support of small business," said Carranza. "They set an excellent example for all federal employees and have helped create tremendous opportunities for America's entrepreneurs to grow and generate new jobs."
Listed below are this year’s award categories and recipients.
Outstanding/Innovative Support for Small Business
Anthony Pellegrino
Paul Bowen
New England Region, Federal Acquisition Service
Joseph Graffagnino
Catherine Collins
Northeast and Caribbean Region, Federal Acquisition Service
Christy Skirchak
Southeast Sunbelt Region, Public Buildings Service
Outstanding/Innovative Support for Service-Disabled Veteran-owned Small Business (Algeon B. Gaither Award)
Small Business Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWAC) Center Team: Mary Parks, Matthew Verhulst, Jean Oyler, Janna Babcock, Howard Innis, Misty Claypole, Jihyun Huyck, Lewis Jones, Lori Hanavan, Aletha Pelham, Lee Tittle, Sue Cumpton, Gregory Byrd, Jim Van Hooser, Christine Carver
The Heartland Region, Federal Acquisition Service
Shelita Harper
Pacific Rim Region, Public Buildings Service
Contract Services Branch Team: Courtney Springer, Mareen Curdy, Edith Caldwell, Genia Watson, Hai Nguyen, Kathy Miles, Peggy Cobb, Christina Pearce, Raymond Wessling, Frank Sharshel, Kristy Simmons, Rhonda Cella, Jean Martin
The Heartland Region, Public Buildings Service
Outstanding/Innovative Support for Small Business Programs as an employee employed by GSA two years or less
Ronald Sieben
Great Lakes Region, Public Buildings Service
Outstanding/Innovative Support for Small Business Programs in support of national security efforts
Heartland Global Supply Acquisition Branch Team: Rita Velilla, Andrea Harrison, Celeste Gorman, Renee Roe, Joseph Alfred, Donald Beaudet, Francene Bock-Waldo, Ann Cooper, Marty Daniells, Belinda Devore, Gerald Goin, Jacquelyne Hassen, Mary Powers, Marianne Schrik, Katherine Solon, Darrell Williams, Sharon Arnett, Margaret Conroy, Trish Gish, Brian Johnson, Amy Lara, Roxanne Moore, Shirley Reed, Kathy Vannatta, Wendell Hercey, Loretta Martin, Clarissa McDaniel, Mary Mocek, George Stegner, Jeani Ray Vohs
The Heartland Region, Federal Acquisition Service
Yvonne Knighton Small Business Advocate Award for Excellence
Helena Koch
Mari McNally
Mid-Atlantic Region, Small Business Utilization Center
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GSA provides a centralized delivery system of products and services to the federal government, leveraging its enormous buying power to get the best value for taxpayers.
- Founded in 1949, GSA manages more than one-fourth of the government’s total procurement dollars and influences the management of $500 billion in federal assets, including 8,600 government-owned or leased buildings and 208,000 vehicles.
-GSA helps preserve our past and define our future, as a steward of more than 425 historic properties, and as manager of USA.gov, the official portal to federal government information and services.
-GSA’s mission to provide superior workplaces, expert technology solutions, acquisition services, purchasing and E-Gov travel solutions and management policies, at best value, allows federal agencies to focus on their core missions.
Did you know? GSA's local Small Business Utilization offices are available to assist service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses throughout the contracting process.
